Open Arms, Closed Doors: A survey of public attitudes to sexual orientation and gender non-conformity in Botswana

There is no shortage of anecdotal evidence of violence and discrimination towards LGBTI people in Africa yet hardly any detailed, statistically sound studies have been done about the actual opinions of Africans on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Open Arms, Closed Doors: A survey of public attitudes to sexual orientation and gender non-conformity in Botswana shows that while the majority of Batswana are favourable to LGBTI people enjoying equal rights and being protected from discrimination and harm, high levels of opposition to same-sex relationships, marriage, and family building persist. Following the ground-breaking legal decision to decriminalize same-sex relations in 2019, the report captures shifting social attitudes towards sexual orientation and gender non-conformity in Botswana, revealing progressive trends but also showing that some doors remain closed to LGBTI people in the country.